Guardians Baseball Insider

Photo credit: UNC Greensboro Athletics

The Cleveland Guardians selected Pres Cavenaugh – OF in the 14th round (421st overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Pres Cavenaugh – OF

School: UNC Greensboro
Age: 21.7; Ht: 6’0; Wt: 206
Bats: Left; Throws: Left

Pre-Draft Rankings:

GBI – Rounds 16-20
Prospects Live -196
Perfect Game – 321
Baseball America – 331

Willie Hood’s Analysis: 

The soon-to-be-former Spartans outfielder impressed in his freshman season hitting .425 with six walks and three strikeouts in 40 at-bats. As a sophomore Cavenaugh scuffled at that plate, hitting .230 but continued to show an advanced approach by drawing walks in 15.63% of his at-bats to a 23.21% strikeout rate, he swatted eight home runs and stole 10 bases. He rebounded in a big way that summer (2021), slashing .333/.413./.429 with seven doubles, a homer, three hit-by-pitches, and walking 12 times (9.92 BB%) to 18 strikeouts (14.88 K%) for the Harwich Mariners (CCBL). This season Cavenaugh continued to impress with a .340 average with 8 homers, and 15 stolen bases while walking 23 times (7.69 BB%) to 27 times (9.03 K%).

Cavenaugh is another in a draft class full of hitters with premium contact skills. He lacks power for a full-time role in the corner outfield but offsets the lack of power with his aforementioned contact ability and a good approach at the plate. The North Carolina native has above-average to plus speed and a solid glove and arm in center. He can handle all three outfield spots and profiles as a high on-base guy and potential fourth outfielder. The young outfielder is expected to sign in the coming days.

Press release:

The Charlotte, NC native slashed .309/.399/.482 across 131 collegiate games over three seasons for UNC Greensboro. This
includes a 2022 campaign in which he batted .340 (91-for-268) with 25 extra-base hits and 56 RBI. A key member of the
Spartans club in 2022, Cavenaugh played in 63 of the club’s 64 games this season, scoring 60 runs (2nd on club) and
pounding out 91 hits (T2nd on club). In May of 2022, Cavenaugh compiled a .429/.498/.679 slash line with 11 extra-base hits
and 26 RBI, netting the sophomore Southern Conference Player of the Month Honors. Prior to his collegiate tenure at
Greensboro, the left-handed-hitting outfielder attended Myers Park High School (Charlotte, NC).